1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to video recording or broadcasting devices; in particular, the present invention is related to structures to avoid glare in video images captured from behind a glass window pane by a video camera.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
To record video of an outdoor scene over an extended time period (e.g., a month) typically requires a weatherproof camera (i.e., a camera ruggedized to withstand weathering). In one application, the captured video is broadcast to viewers over a wide area network (e.g., the internet). However, if the outdoor scene can be captured from behind a glass pane from the interior of a building, a low cost non-weatherproof cameras may be used. Indoor placement offers many advantages, such as protection from weather, theft, and easy access to power and other connectivity advantages. However, capturing an image from behind a glass window poses a significant technical challenge because of glare. Glare may result in the day time from, for example, the light from the other side of the window pane illuminating the camera body itself. The result is that the camera “sees” itself in the reflection. The glare may also come from light from the inside, when the reflections of the indoor illuminated space are brighter than the outside scenery the camera attempts to capture (e.g., at night). It is difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate these kinds of glare. The most frequently used solution to avoid glare in the image is to provide a custom hood to shield the reflected light from the camera lens. Even then, additional adjustments of the hood may be required when a moving camera's lens is pointed in certain directions. Besides being cumbersome to operate, some hoods are not even adjustable.